Electronic snore depressor



Nov. 25, 1969 R. B- CROSSLEY Filed May 12,

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United States Patent Oifice 3,480,010 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 3,480,010ELECTRONIC SNORE DEPRESSOR Robert B. Crossley, 201 Shangri-La, CorpusChristi, Tex. 78412 Filed May 12, 1967, Ser. No. 638,050 Int. Cl. A61f13/12, /56,- A61n 1/08 U.S. 'Cl. 128-132 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE An anti-snore device consisting of a neckband to be Worn by asleeper. The neckband contains a microphone, a transistor amplifier, ahigh voltage-producing transformer, a supply battery, a relay and a pairof spaced electrodes. The electrodes are in contact with the sleepersskin. The microphone is connected to the input of the amplifier and therelay winding is connected to the output of the amplifier. The primaryof the high voltage-producing transformer is connected in series withthe relay contacts and the supply battery. The amplifier is energizedfrom the supply battery. Snore is detected by the microphone to produceoutput signal waves of corresponding pitch, causing intermittent closureat this frequency of the relay contacts, thereby inducing a high voltageacross the electrodes designed to shock the sleeper and to condition himagainst snoring.

This invention relates to anti-snore devices, and more particularly to adevice for imparting an electric shock to a sleeper when he snores ofsufiicient magnitude to awaken him, and ultimately, to condition thesleeper against snoring.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedanti-snore device for conditioning a sleeper against snoring or forawakening the sleeper when he begins to snore, the device beingrelatively simple in construction, being easy to install, and providingan effective snore-inhibiting action, serving to awaken a sleeper whenhe begins to snore without disturbing other persons in the same area,and ultimately serving as a means for conditioning the sleeper againstsnoring.

A further object of the invention is to provide a relatively compactautomatic anti-snore device adapted to be worn by a sleeper to apply anelectric shock to the sleeper when he begins to snore, whereby either toawaken the sleeper or to condition him against further snoring, thedevice being inexpensive to fabricate, involving relatively simplecomponents, being durable in construction, and being comfortable towear.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedelectronic anti-snore device adapted to be worn by a sleeper andprovided with electrodes in contact with the sleepers skin, with meansto develop a high voltage across the electrodes immediately responsiveto snoring by the sleeper, the voltage being suflicient to awaken thesleeper and to ultimately condition him against snoring, the apparatusbeing safe to use, being entirely self-contained so that it requires noexternal wiring, and employing standard components.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a person wearing an anti-snoredevice constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the anti-snore device of FIGURE 1, shown in aflat extended condition.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal edge view of the unrolled neckband device ofFIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical connections of theanti-snore device illustrated in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to the drawing, 11 generally designates an improved anti-snoredevice according to the present invention. The device 11 comprises aneckband of suitable flexible material, such as leather, flexible sheetplastic material, or the like, comprising a relatively wide main bodyportion 12 and respective reduced terminal end portions 13 and 14. Theend portion 13 has stitched thereto a pair of flexible apertured strapelements 15, 15 which are adapted to be connected to respectiveconventional buckles 16, 16 provided on the opposite terminal endportion 14, whereby the terminal end portion 13 can be fastened inoverlapping relationship to the terminal end portion 14 by connectingthe strap elements 15, 15 to the buckles 16, 16.

The main body portion 12 is in the form of a flat sleeve in which arecontained the various electrical components of the device. Thus, aconventional microphone 17 is mounted in one end portion of main body12. Also mounted in the main body is a miniature microphone transformer18 and a transistor amplifier consisting of transistors 19 and 20interconnected in a conventional manner in the manner illustrated inFIGURE 4. The amplifier circuit includes a bias voltage-adjustingpotentiometer 21 and an adjustable sensitivity control potentiometer 22.The bias voltage-adjusting potentiometer 21 may have a maximumresistance value of 1 megohm and the sensitivity control potentiometer22 may have a maximum resistance value of 50,000 ohms. Connected betweenthe common junction of potentiometer 21 and potentiometer 22 and thecollector of transistor 20 is a current-limiting resistor 23, which mayhave a resistance value of 1,000 ohms. Connected to the output of theamplifier is a miniature sensitive relay 24 having a pole 25 and anassociated stationary contact 26.

Also mounted in the flexible sleeve portion 12 is a miniature supplybattery 27 and a step-up transformer 28 having the primary winding 29and the secondary winding 30. The transformer 28 has a relatively highturn ratio so that a substantial voltage can be induced in the secondary30 responsive to interruptions of the current supplied to the primarywinding 29. The terminals of the secondary winding 30 are connected to apair of spaced electrodes 31 and 32 having exposed inner surfaceportions adapted to make contact with the wearers neck when the neckbandis worn, for example, in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Also mounted in the main body portion 12 of the neckband is a controlswitch 33 of the manually-operated type which is accessible to thewearer. As shown in FIGURE 4, the control switch 33 is connected in aseries circuit including battery 27, the transformer primary winding 29,relay pole 25, relay contact 26 and the control switch 33. It will bealso seen that the control switch 33 is connected between the negativeterminal of battery 27 and the collector of the output transistor 20,and that the positive terminal of battery 27 is connected to a wire 34.The emitter of transistor 19 is connected to wire 34 and the emitter oftransistor 20 is connected to Wire 34 through the winding of thesensitive relay 24. The collector of the transistor 19 is connected tothe base of the transistor 20 and a capacitor 35 which may have a valueof microfarads, is connected between the base of transistor 20 and theemitter thereof for the purpose of providing voltage and currentstabilization.

The relay 24 is of the miniature type and has substantial sensitivity,being activated by a current of the order of 1.2 milliamperes.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the microphone 17 is connected to the primarywinding of the input transformer 18, and the secondary winding of thistransformer is connected between wire 34 and the base of transistor 19.Signals delivered to transformer 18 by microphone 17 are therebyamplified in the transistors 19 and 20, the output current of thetransistor 20 flowing through the winding of the relay 24.

In using the device, the neckband is secured on the users neck in themanner illustrated in FIGURE 1, with the electrodes 31 and 32 in contactwith the skin. The switch 33 is closed. When the sleeper snores, themicrophone 17 receives the audio energy in the form of audible waves ofa periodic character having rather sharp wave shapes generallyresembling steep saw-tooth waves having a relatively low audiofrequency.

The high-amplitude fundamental components of these waves are amplifiedby the transistors 19 and 20 and are delivered to the winding of therelay 24, which responds by closing its contacts and 26 at the same rateas the received audio signals. Thus, the contacts 25 and 26 close at thefrequency of the fundamental of the received waves. This intermittentlyenergizes the primary 29 of transformer 28 with substantial current atthe frequency of closure of contacts 25 and 26. The pulsations ofcurrent in primary 29 induce a relatively high voltage in the secondary30 of the step-up transformer 28, this voltage being applied to thesleeper because of the contact of electrodes 31 and 32 with the sleepersskin. Thus, when the sleeper snores, a mild shock is applied to his neckby the electrodes 31 and 32. This shock will either awaken or partiallyawaken the sleeper, with a resultant cessation of snoring. Throughrepeated use, the sleeper will be conditioned to expect a shock as aresult of snoring, which will ultimately result in a substantialreduction or complete elimination of snoring or of other vocal soundswhich would otherwise be produced by the sleeper.

It will be noted that the intensity of the shock depends directly uponthe amplitude of the audio signal received by microphone 17, so that thewearer of the device will respond very quickly when his snoring isrelatively loud and will reduce his intensity of snoring in order toreduce the intensity of the generated shock voltage. Thus, the deviceacts automatically to either inhibit loud snoring or to completelyeliminate snoring altogether.

While a self-contained snore-preventing or inhibiting device has beendisclosed in the drawings, it is within the contemplation or the presentinvention that the electrodes 31 and 32 may be applied to other parts ofthe users body instead of to the skin of the users neck. Thus, theelectrodes 31 and 32 may be contained in a separate attachment which maybe secured to some other part of the body and connected by flexiblewires to the terminals of the high voltage-producing step-up transformersecondary 30.

The microphone 17 may be of any conventional type of relatively smallsize, for example, may be a conventional crystal microphone button. Thebattery 27 is a conventional miniature 6-volt battery or other miniaturebattery of suitable voltage.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the microphone 17 is exposed at the inner side ofthe widened neckband portion 12, as are the shock electrodes 31 and 32.The operating element of the control switch 33 is exposed at the outerside of the neckband, as shown in FIGURE 1. The amplifier may becontained in a unitary sealed assembly, shown in dotted view at 40,FIGURE 2, and the remaining electrical components of the apparatus maybe contained in another housing or compartment 41. It will be understoodthat the elements and 41 are relatively flat and are of small size, andare easily accommodated within the flat sleeve-like main portion 12 ofthe flexible neckband.

While illustrated and described herein as an antisnore device, theapparatus above-described may also be employed, with necessary changesin external configuration and size, as a device to inhibit dogs fromexcessive barking. Thus, it can be secured to the neck of a dog in amanner similar to that in which the device is fastened to the neck of asleeper, so that it can pick up the sounds produced by the animal andthereby generate shock voltage which will automatically tend todiscourage the dog from barking.

While a specific embodiment of an improved anti-snore device has beendisclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood thatvarious modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitationsbe placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An anti-snore device comprising a flexible neckband, means to securethe neckband around a persons neck, sound-responsive means on theneckband, means to convert snore sound signals received by saidsound-responsive means into corresponding audio-frequency periodicelectrical waves, means to generate a relatively high voltage responsiveto the reception of said electrical Waves, spaced electrode meansconnected to the output of said highvoltage-generating means, and meansto hold said spaced electrode means in contact with the persons skin.

2. The anti-snore device of claim 1, and wherein said sound-responsivemeans comprises a sound transducer mounted on the neckband.

3. The anti-snore device of claim 2, and wherein said sound transducercomprises a microphone mounted on and facing inwardly of the neckband.

4. The anti-snore device of claim 2, and wherein the converting means ismounted in the neckband.

5. The anti-snore device of claim 4, and wherein the converting meanscomprises an amplifier, a sensitive relay connected to the output of theamplifier and having a pair of contacts, a high-voltage transformer, asource of current, and circuit means connecting said source of currentto the input of the high-voltage transformer through said pair ofcontacts.

6. The anti-snore device of claim 5, and wherein said high-voltagetransformer is provided with a primary winding forming its input circuitand a secondary winding forming its output circuit.

7. The anti-snore device of claim 6, and wherein said spaced electrodemeans comprise a pair of electrodes mounted on the neckband and facinginwardly thereof to make contact with the wearers skin.

8. The anti-snore device of claim 7, and wherein said circuit meansincludes a control switch mounted on the neckband and having a controlelement exposed at the outer side of the neckband.

9. The anti-snore device of claim 1, and wherein the neckband is in theform of a flexible flat member, with the sound-responsive means, theconverting means and the electrode means mounted on said flexiblemember, and with the sound-responsive means and the electrode meansexposed at the inner surface of the flexible flat member.

10. The anti-snore device of claim 9, and wherein said sound-responsivemeans comprises a microphone, and said means to convert sound signalsinto electrical energy comprises a transistorized amplifier driven bysaid microphone and a high-voltage generator driven by said amplifier.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,438,875 3/1948 Offner 1284l92,842,135 7/1958 Browner 128-422 2,915,066 12/1959 Parodi 128-419763,657 6/1904 Brown 128-418 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl.X.R. 128-4l8, 419

